Chapter 24: Striking Up High
Opaline laughed evilly. “Its time to attack again my minions! My son is back and ready to have his revenge on the puny ponies that captured him, isn’t that right, Fire?”
Fireforge nodded, he’d been told about what happened after Flurry arrived.
Flashback:
“You were knocked out and lost your memory,” Opaline told her son. “You even fought against me!”
“What?” Fireforge asked in shock.
“But no need to worry, its over now. That silly little Sunny Starscout tried to turn you against me! Wrap her hooves around you and warp into following the disgusting way of unity and equality!”
Fire’s orange eyes widened as he recalled the alicorn that could transform. Then something seemed to open up in his mind, like a closed door that someone had tried to lock. He remembered things that had happened.
“I erased the memories of your time with her to prevent her from interfering,” Opaline said. “That silly pony thinking she could turn my own son… my flesh and blood against me! The power of love and unity is weak! We two true alicorns will reign supreme with our power!”
“Y-yes Mother,” Fireforge said with the slightest hesitation.
End Flashback:
A few days had passed since then. Yet in his minds eye he could see her, Sunny bringing him food while he lay in a cell. Giving him a chance when nopony else would, freeing him. Fireforge’s heart, the heart that had grown hard under his mother’s guidance, seemed to melt. Opaline smiled at him and turned away just as a small tear emerged from his eye. It seemed his mother’s attempt to drive the memories away had not truly been successful. Fireforge felt so confused now, it was as if he’d taken a nap and then awoke as an all new pony after living a long dream. He was now a mixture of both the pony who had been the loyal son of Opaline and the pony that had developed feelings for Sunny Starscout.
Both his mother and the pony he’d developed an attraction toward appeared in his minds eye. Opaline looked behind her as she made her way to the front of their army.
“Fireforge, come!” she waved her head forward.
Fireforge spread his smoky gray wings that had had their feathers dyed red, yellow and orange like his mane. Each of the ponies in today’s Equestria had evolved new traits in the last seven hundred years. Unicorn horns, Pegasus wing feathers, and every ponykind had hooves that stood out of from the rest of their body, unlike when Fire had first been born. His mother had managed to learn to add coloration while he’d been gone thanks to a prisoner she’d held. Her wings had been painted blue on the feather tips and she had a fire themed hooficure now. She’d even given him a hooficure that made his gray hooves look gold with a red flame pattern. He’d received a new warhammer as well. He reluctantly flapped his wings and caught up with his mother. It had been a few days since he’d returned to her. But he kept his confusion hidden, unsure how she’d react if she even suspected Sunny was still in his head as anything but an enemy.
He and Opaline led their army in the direction of Zephyr Heights once again. This time however, it wasn’t to trade, but to conquer once again.
“With both of us present we are sure to win,” Opaline said with confidence.
“Yes Mother,” Fireforge said.
“And I’ve been thinking,” Opaline continued. “As much as I hated seeing you kiss Sunny before I took you back, she could make a good pony to be the bearer for your children. I didn’t expect you to be an alicorn when I was pregnant with you. But if you were to have another alicorn as a mate it could increase our lineage in a very proud way. I do intend to make that Zipp pony wed my new Pegasus Lieutenant Right Light, assuming I can take her magic away and get her under mind control. Though it’s possible I might end up killing one of them.”
Fireforge shivered. He didn’t know what to do, he was torn between two ponies that he had been, and the two ponies that he had cared in each of those different lives. His mother or Sunny?
They continued on to Zephyr Heights.
…
Misty sat with Izzy who sat across from Rufus. She meanwhile sat across from Sprout.
“You guys sure we should be hanging out like this?” Misty asked. “I mean Opaline could attack again here at any time.”
“Oh, relax Misty,” Izzy said putting a hoof on her fellow unicorn. “We’ve been working hard ever since we got the prisoners back. We’ve been drilling with Flurry Heart daily to master our magic! Zipp’s practicing hoof fighting with the guards.
“We’re doing the same,” Rufus said.
“Yeah, we’re actually able to beat most other ponies at hoof wrestling,” Sprout said with a proud smile. “I always wanted to beat you unicorns and the Pegasi, but this is better then killing all of you for sure!”
The others made frowns at him.
“Uh we don’t need to be reminded of what you used to want to do, Sprout,” Rufus said. “I can’t believe I ever bought into that garbage back then that Unicorns and Pegasi were our enemies. I’m glad we’re all united again. But Maretime Bay is probably in a state of wreck right now, I like cleaning but not when there’s too much of it!”
“Guess Team Clean will have to reassemble once we get back,” Izzy said.
“Team Clean?” Misty asked confused.
“Oh, a while back everypony banded together to clean up our town when all Ponykind was uniting. Maretime Bay got so busy and there was trash everywhere,” Sprout said. “Sunny and the others, being the good four hooves they always are, worked together to try and clean the place up. But there was just too much of it.”
“Still Pipp’s video got a lot of attention and everypony pitched in,” Rufus said. “Even you Sprout!”
“Yeah, I arrived a bit late,” Sprout said. “And I hid in the crowd as well.”
“I probably would too,” Misty said. “Though I probably would have been spying at the time!”
“Don’t suppose you’d mind going on a little spy mission right now?” Sprout asked. “We could maybe sneak into Maretime Bay and see what Opaline’s up to?”
They all looked at him in surprised fear.
“Just kidding,” Sprout said. “We wouldn’t want to risk that would we?”
They all laughed.
“That might be a good idea though,” Misty said. “It would help if we know what Opaline’s battleplan is.”
“We’ll be ready!” Izzy said confidently. “We almost beat her last time and would have if not for the-
“Unity Crystals being taken apart!” Misty exclaimed. “Opaline will have them now! She could turn off magic at any time!”
…
Sure enough, Right Light had the crystals stowed in his saddleback. They had been removed from the Brighthouse, though they yearned to return there, he felt the pull but was too strong for them to get away and his saddlebag was closed tight. He flew behind Opaline and Fireforge, General Bloodheart and Captain Dirty Fighter below him. Right Light was now dressed in the purple armor of Opaline’s army which had been increased a good deal with the ponies still had in Maretime Bay. The one’s she’d released had only been around half in total, the others now fought for her.
…
Misty, Izzy, and the two stallions made their way back to the palace. With the threat of Opaline, Zipp, Pipp, and the others were working closely with Queen Haven to come up with a plan. They were currently in the command center with officers of the royal pegasus guard. Hitch had been given a set of armor of his own, though it depicted the Earth Pony Crystal rather than the Pegasus one. He’d been made an acting commander since he had experience as a Sheriff already, and would lead part of the defense along with Sunny, Flurry, and the queen and princesses. Each of them had been outfitted with a set of armor to protect themselves. All of them except for Hitch’s had crowns or tiara’s as well since they were all royalty. Now that Sunny knew she had a princess as a mother, she had decided to finally embrace the position of princess that had automatically come with being an alicorn in ancient Equestria.
“Ah there you two are!” Queen Haven said as the two unicorns joined them. “We have your armor sets ready!”
Zoom and Thunder gestured to a pair of mannequins that bore two sets of armor. Both were silver colored with one having a tiara that bore a mixture of gemstones in the shape of a butterfly that had to be Misty’s. The other was a more standard helmet similar to the royal guards but had a hole for Izzy’s horn as well as a depiction of the unicorn crystal on both the helmet and breastplate.
“I know you’re not technically a princess yet, Misty,” Haven said. “But I thought it would best to have your tiara made now.”
“Um, wouldn’t a helmet be more practical in battle?” Misty asked.
“That’s what I said,” Zipp said.
“Oh come on tiaras are much prettier!” Pipp said.
“You are going to be royalty, you should have a tiara,” Haven said simply. “Don’t worry, our guards will protect you!”
“You can count on me Princess Misty!” Izzy said as she hugged her friend.
“Izzy! Focus!” Rufus said.
“Yeah, we need to tell them what we realized!” Sprout said as he entered the room slowly. Queen Haven frowned at the sight of him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked angrily. “Guards! Seize him! He may be welcome in my city but not in my castle!”
“Wait!” Hitch said. “Sprout, what’s going on?”
“Misty realized something while we were all out to lunch,” Sprout said.
“So, remember how Right Light took the Unity Crystals?” Misty asked.
“How could I forget?” Zipp asked sarcastically.
“Well, we figured that Opaline could deactivate the magic anytime she wanted,” Misty said.
“Oh, my pony I don’t think we thought of that!” Pipp said.
“We got to do something!” Zipp said.
“But what?” Sunny asked. “They could be in Maretime Bay still or…”
“On the way here,” Hitch said. “If Opaline’s coming that is.”
“But if she’s not then we have to try and get the crystals back!” Zipp said. “We can’t have her disable our magic whenever she wants! Its how she won last time!”
“Then we have to send someone to do it!” Queen Haven said.
“I’m the best at sneaking!” Zipp said to her mother.
“Absolutely not!” Queen Haven said. “You are my daughter and heir! There has to be someone else we can trust to handle things… stealthily.”
“Let me go!” Sprout said.
“I said somepony I can trust,” Queen Haven said disdainfully. “You tried to kill me and my daughters as well as Alphabittle!”
Sprout looked down in shame. “I know, that’s why I want to help.”
“And he won’t be alone,” Misty said. “I’m going to. For all my incompetence as a villain I did learn to infiltrate pretty well.”
“That is true,” Sunny said. “You fooled us for a long time.”
“But Opaline knows you’re against her, we didn’t,” Zipp said. “Not for sure at least.”
“I know it’s risky, but this is what I want to do,” Misty said.
Slowly, everypony nodded.
…
Misty and Sprout made their way to the outside of Zephyr Heights silently. They glanced at once occasionally then blushed and looked away shyly.
“Come on we need to pick up the pace!” a voice said from above, causing them to jump.
They looked up and saw the source.
“Zipp what are you doing?” Misty asked the eldest princess. “Your mom said to stay here!”
“When has that ever stopped me,” Zipp said. “Besides somepony needs to be able to fly back fast if Opaline’s coming here. Too bad we couldn’t retrieve the marestream.”
They soon arrived back at the hills where Opaline had delivered the prisoners. But down there in the distance, perhaps a mile away, they saw them.
“Oh no! We’re too late!” Sprout said. “Run!”
He and Misty turned around and ran as Opaline’s army marched up the hill. Zipp sighed in frustration and followed after a moment.
“Go ahead Zipp!” Misty shouted. “We’ll be fine!”
Zipp nodded, Opaline’s army wouldn’t be able to catch her friends. Though she hated abandoning them even briefly, she knew she had to warn her mother and everypony else. Flying ahead she soon reached the castle.
“They’re here!” Zipp said as she entered the main door.
The guards scurried to sound the alarm. Soon it blared for Zephyr Heights to hear and Sprout and Misty entered quickly followed by Sunny, Haven, and the others.
“We were too late!” Zipp said.
“Zipp I said for you to stay here!” Haven exclaimed.
“No time for that!” Zipp argued. “We have to get out there and fight!”
Knowing there was no choice, they all made their way outside to defend Zephyr Heights. The defending army this time was primarily Pegasi, with a few unicorns and many Earth Ponies that had been released by Opaline or moved here following the unification of all Ponykind. As they walked, Hitch spotted Posey, Windy and Dahlia among the ponies advancing.
“You three should be inside,” Hitch told her. “Posey you-“
“I’m fine!” the yellow mare roared. “The doctor checked me and I’m fine! I may have lost my magic and my pride but my strength has returned! Besides you think I’m gonna let that son of a (beep) get me again? I’m gonna settle the score with him if I can!”
She’d armed herself with a spear from the local armory along with several other ponies. With full war emerging Zephyr Height citizens had come forward to help. Remembering her failure last time.
“We want to help too!” Seashell said as she ran up with Glory and Peach Fizz. “I know we can’t fight but there has to something we can do!”
“Watch Sparky!” Hitch said as she handed her the baby dragon off his back.
Sunny focused and transformed into an alicorn as she ran and flapped her wings to join her mother Flurry as well as the royal Pegasus family in the sky. Thunder flapped alongside Zipp and Queen Haven, Hitch meanwhile followed Misty and Izzy along with Sprout, Posey and the others trailing behind, Spike and Ember stomped the ground as they made their way forward. Inside one of the houses, Seashell, Glory, and Peach Fizz watched along with Sparky whom they’d been left in charge of for the attack.
They were almost to the hilltops, but Opaline’s five wave got their first. The evil alicorn along with Right Light and Fireforge Destiny flew alongside her.
“Leave now and never come back!” Haven ordered.
“Nice try but you are not true royalty!” Opaline scoffed. “Just a pretender who thought she could fool her citizens and make herself look special!”
Haven didn’t answer. Flurry then stepped forward. “Its time to end this, Opaline!”
“I agree!” Ember said as she unleashed a stream of fire directly at the evil alicorn.
Right Light and Fireforge screamed as they were in range as well, fortunately the latter’s mother put up a shield that protected all three of them. The dragon fire hit Opaline’s shield and she flew against the pressure before changing her spell, drawing the fire in. Ember was unable to stop and felt her own fire being drawn out of her and into Opaline’s horn which glowed brighter as her power increased even more. Ember gasped in pain and collapsed.
“Ember! No!” Spike called out in concern for his mate.
Opaline laughed evilly and then began to create dozens of fireballs in midair.
“Attack!” she ordered.
Her army that had made it up the hills charged forward, with more climbing up. The Pegasi still had the advantage of flight, as most of the ones on Opaline’s side were brainwashed and hadn’t been able to keep their magic. They flapped their wings and tried to soar down on the invading army, but Opaline’s fireballs blocked their path and moved to intercept the Pegasi who flew away fearfully. One of them got caught and screamed as she was lit aflame and disintegrated.
“No pony shall have the sky but me!” Opaline said. “And my son and those loyal and capable of course!”
The fireballs then merged to form a dome of flame over Opaline’s army, preventing the defending Pegasi from swooping down on them, taking away their advantage. Opaline also created a wall of flame in front of herself and her two flying companions. However, a beam of yellow magic hit it and caused it to vanish as Flurry, Sunny, Zipp and Pipp came forward on their wings, the flame dome just below their hooves.
“Ah, alicorn to alicorn!” Opaline said. “You won’t get the best of me this time Flurry!”
“We’ll see about that!” the younger alicorn said.
Her yellow magic shot at Opaline who countered with her own blue purple magic. Opaline’s quickly pushed back Flurry’s though and knocked her back.
“Mom!” Sunny exclaimed.
Flurry was alright, just forced to backflip through the air, she steadied herself thankfully though.
“Hiyah!” Zipp flew at Right Light and grappled him. “You traitor! I can’t believe I didn’t see you for what you were!”
Right merely scoffed as he twirled. “Yeah, all I care about is becoming a king! I will be that after I help Opaline, at least an acting king under reign who will lead the Pegasi!”
“You’ll never get the chance after my mom has you imprisoned or executed for treason!” Zipp declared.
They threw aerial attacks at each other in graceful dance like motions. They rose over the flames and continued to fight as Pipp followed to help her sister. Sunny looked at Fireforge, and saw the confusion on his face.
Down below, Hitch, Misty, Izzy and all the others were facing General Bloodheart and Dirty Fighter.
“Alright General! Time to retire!” Izzy said as she launched a blast of magic at him.
He easily blocked it though.
“Dirty Fighter you are guilty of torture of the most heinous kind on an innocent mare!” Hitch said as he put his hooves to the ground and tried to use his Earth Pony magic. “You will be brought to justice!”
“Justice smustice!” Dirty said as he conjured his own vines to counter Hitch’s.
Their two sets of plants wrestled with each other fruitlessly with neither getting the upper hoof, or vine in this case. More of the enemy army climbed up the hill and charged the defenders. With the Pegasi unable to offer air support, they were deprived of a major advantage they had counted on this battle. The Earth Ponies that still had their magic did their best to try and conjure plants, and the unicorns including Izzy and Misty tried to fire spells they’d learned to use recently but there were too many of the invaders. It looked like for an instant that Opaline would have easy win, but then something huge flew at the flames blocking the majority of the pathway up. Spike dove into the flames, his dragon scales resistant to being burned, though he still received a bit of a sting.
“No!” Opaline exclaimed.
Spike landed on a few unfortunate ponies with remorse. But there was no choice, he had to protect the defending ponies and his mate in any way he could. His tail whipped, his feet caused tremors that caused the enemy to lose their balance. He could have included his teeth as well but didn’t want to taste pony flesh, that would go against his very nature as a dragon raised by ponies.
Opaline tried to get to him and prevent him from holding back her forces, but Flurry blocked her path.
“You won’t win this time!” Flurry declared.
They flew at each other and engaged in another alicorn-to-alicorn duel. Magic flew back and forth as they flew.
Sunny hesitated, looking at Fireforge. He likewise looked at her.
“You remember me, don’t you?” she asked.
“Yes,” he confessed.
“Is it still you?” she asked desperately.
“In a way, I’m still the pony that developed feelings for you,” he said. “But I’m also the pony I was before that. A mixture of both.”
The battle went on all around them while they stared at each other, all else seeming to just pass by.
“Help us!” Sunny requested.
Fireforge clenched his teeth, torn between her and his mother. Opaline had always treated him with love, but he had been the only one to ever receive it. Sunny meanwhile, seemed to share her love and optimism with everypony she met. She accepted them all as equals. The pony Fireforge used to be would be disgusted by that. Now he had a mixture of disgust and admiration.
Flurry dodged the first few attacks but finally one hit her shield and broke through, sending her falling once again a short distance. She landed with a thud on the mountainside of a nearby hill. But Opaline was quick to follow up, get on top of the younger alicorn mother and focusing on her cutie mark. She drew it in, Flurry’s mark of a heart with snow coming down on it was lifted off her flank, her magic power was drained and she lay still.
Sunny caught sight of her mother’s defeat and her mouth fell open.
“Mommm!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Opaline, meanwhile, laughed as her wings and horn burned even brighter.
“So much power!” she declared before turning to Sunny. “Just you now and maybe a few other ponies and I will have all the magic I need to drain the Unity Crystals!”
She looked down at the ponies below and even more balls of fire appeared. Opaline sent them out toward Zephyr Heights and set many buildings aflame, but spared the royal palace as she wanted that mostly intact as a seat of power here. Below them, Sunny saw that her friends were managing to push the possessed ponies back. Hitch, Posey, Sprout and Windy all surrounded Dirty Fighter who looked scared. Posey pointed her spear to his throat, looking ready to pierce it on the spot. Rufus managed to restrain the ponies trying to help General Bloodheart while Izzy and Misty blasted him off his hooves. Zipp and Pipp even managed to ram Right Light against a mountain side. Queen Haven, the royal guards, and the all others were even managing to fend off the possessed ponies.
But Opaline saw it as well and flew over the defenders.
“You will not withstand me!”
She used her new power to drain an even large number of ponies of their magic, only a handful were left. Hitch, Izzy, Rufus, Sprout and all the other ponies screamed as their magic was taken. Even the ones that had had their magic already taken were affected as well. It sapped their physical strength and they all fell to their stomachs. Only Misty, Sunny, Zipp, and Pipp, as well as a hooful of others remained. Opaline meanwhile, glowed still brighter.
“So close! So close!” the evil alicorn boasted as she felt all the power before turning to Sunny.
“No!” Zipp sprang into action. “You won’t have Sunny!”
Before Opaline could drain the last opposing alicorn of her power, Zipp rammed into her. Pipp flew up to Sunny.
“Go Sunny! Get out of here!” the younger princess said. “We’ll hold her off!”
Sunny’s eyes widened. “No! I can’t leave you here!”
“Its our only chance!” Misty said as she fired a beam up at Opaline, only to be hit from behind by a recovered General Bloodheart.
“You don’t know when to quit do you traitor!” Bloodheart asked as he stood before Ember’s seemingly unconscious form.
Only for her eyes to open and her to ram him with her head. She struggled to push herself part way up.
“Go!” she said to Misty. “You are the most skilled magic user here! Sunny needs you!”
Misty clenched her teeth uncertainly. Zipp and Pipp grabbed Opaline and pushed her back as Spike looked and saw what was going on. The scene reminded him of when all Twilight’s friends did their best to hold back three of their enemies.
“Come on you two!” He said tearfully before looking at Flurry and wishing he were closer to her.
She looked back at him and nodded, knowin git was what must be done. Opaline could not get the last remaining alicorn, if she did, all was lost.
Sunny flew onto Spike’s back while Misty fought through the remaining opponents and jumped on. Opaline then drained the two Pegasus princesses of their powers, they screamed and fell onto the ground a few feet below. Opaline looked as Spike spread his wings.
“Fireforge! Right Light! Stop them!” she ordered.
But Spike flapped his wings, sending Right Light and Fireforge back with a powerful gust of wind as he rose. He then flew at a rate far faster then either of them could hope to catch up with. Spike looked behind him as Ember weakly tried to fend off the other invaders.
Sunny and Misty looked back as well with tears in their eyes.
“We’ll come back for you!” Sunny shouted.
“Hoof to heart!” Misty said. “I’ll be back for you sisters!”
Zipp and Pipp heard that and managed a smile. Things were looking worse then ever, but as long as Sunny was not captured and got her magic drained they have chance. It was all down to Sunny and Misty now, and there was only one major place left for them to hide.
Spike flew in the direction of Bridlewood.
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It looks like the memory of Sunny did not go away that's pretty strong
I'm glad that Sprout got out of there as well and hanging out with them
Yeah that's a unfair advantage
Ouch but yeah true
Of course being Rebellion child that she is when does she ever listen
Well done it just went from bad to worse and seriously Opaline it's way too op so anyway Opaline and her Army went to zephyr Heights and the others did everything they could to defeat her and her Army which they did pretty good job but unfortunately they still got overpowered and Fireforge it's really torn apart of the situation remembering about his past but also his other past with sunny apparently the memory spelled did not work on him but while this is going on flurry Heart Was Defeated and Opaline took her cutie mark and the rest of the remaining of the ponies which this is so not guard the only one who's left is Misty and sunny and Spike and they had to make a retreat before it was too late and she was pretty upset that she has to leave her friends behind but it's the only way to ensure that she will not get drained once again the battle has lost but she won't win the war but how in the world are they going to defeat her I guess we'll find out next time